UPDATE: Hartford decided on the Yard Goats and unveiled the decision at a news conference Wednesday. They’ve hired a firm to come up with a logo and design, the same firm that handled the Richmond Flying Squirrels and Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.

Jeff Francis pitches in spring training a few years back. He accepted a minor-league assignment to remain with the Rockies organization. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

WASHINGTON — The Rockies were able to clear a spot for Roy Oswalt and keep Jeff Francis. The veteran left-hander Francis agreed to accept a minor-league assignment, heading to Triple-A Colorado Springs as the Rockies insert Oswalt into the rotation Thursday at Washington.

Francis could have become a free agent given his big league service time. However, he surveyed the landscape and decided that the Sky Sox presented the best opportunity available. It speaks to his accurate self-evaluation.

The Rockies also designated Chris Volstad for assignment to clear a 40-man spot for Oswalt. He is on waivers, but has been designated for assignment.

The Rockies today made a move to upgrade their organizational outfield depth, acquiring 27-year-old Andrew Brown off waivers from the Cardinals.

Brown, a right-handed hitter, spent most of last season at Triple A Memphis, where he hit .284-20-73 in 107 games, earning a spot on the Pacific Coast League mid-season all-star team. The 20 home runs marked the third time in his minor-league career in which Brown had hit 20-plus.

Brown, an 18th-rounder out of Nebraska in 2007, played in 11 games with the Cardinals this season, hitting .182 (4-for-22).

SAN DIEGO — Kevin Millwood had no intention of retiring. In fact, spending nearly a full season in Triple-A with his credentials only fueled his desire.

“I had people question me to face if I had anything left (in the minors). That spurred me on. This is big for me,” Millwood said.

This is his Rockies’ audition. In the span of a month, the right-hander has gone from emergency starter to landing a potential contract offer this offseason. Millwood shut out the Padres for seven innings in Friday’s win. He’s 8-1 with a 2.84 ERA against the Padres, while holding them to a .223 average in 101 1/3 innings.

At 36, Millwood is a veteran in every way. But when he’s able to locate his fastball on the corners, as he did Friday, he provides a blueprint for the young starters on the staff.

There had been some hope Giambi would re-join the Rockies on Wednesday against the Reds in Cincinnati, but the team instead said he will stay with the Sky Sox through their homestand against the Memphis Redbirds.

It will be Giambi’s first stint with the Sky Sox since 2009, after he was signed as a minor-league free agent. And in just 18 at-bats with Colorado Springs, he collected eight hits and two home runs. He’s been in the big-leagues since then.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Rockies selected Ian Stewart with the 10th pick in the 2003 June draft. And then, 25 rounds later, they got around to drafting Stewart’s high school teammate, Cole Garner.

Eight years later, Stewart is an established major leaguer. Garner? He’s still waiting for that magic moment when he can put on a big-league uniform.

At 26, Garner is approaching the crossroads of his pro career. Only four players on the Rockies’ 40-man roster were drafted before him, and all four — Todd Helton, Aaron Cook, Ryan Spilborghs and Stewart — have put in considerable service time in the big leagues.

[media-credit name=”David Zalubowski, special to The Denver Post” align=”alignright” width=”265″][/media-credit]

Jason Giambi.

Not only is Jason Giambi back on a one-year, $1-million minor-league deal, but he has a real chance to make the Rockies. General manager Dan O’Dowd spoke with colleague Jim Armstrong today, spelling out how Giambi could stick with the club despite a glut of backup first basemen. He did this while finishing a two-year, $6.6-million deal with reliever Matt Lindstrom that includes a club option for his first year of free ageny in 2013.

The key? The Rockies are prepared to go with four outfielders — Carlos Gonzalez, Dexter Fowler, Seth Smith and Ryan Spilborghs — which could free up a roster spot for a slugging pinch-hitter like Giambi. This is possible because Ty Wigginton can play the corner outfield spots and Jon Herrera, the Rockies believe, can move out to left field in a pinch.

The Rockies pulled off another mild surprise today, signing reliever Matt Lindstrom to a two-year deal with a club option in his first year of free agency in 2013.

Billy Buckner’s hardball journey has brought him to Colorado.
No, not that Billy Buckner.
The former Cubs and Red Sox first baseman is long since retired. The Billy Buckner the Rockies signed to a minor-league contract today is a 27-year-old right-hander who figures to land in Colorado Springs.
Buckner is 6-11 with a 6.25 ERA in parts of four major league seasons. He came up with Kansas City in 2007 before being traded to Arizona for Alberto Callaspo. He was dealt to Detroit last season for Dontrelle Willis, but was later released by the Tigers.
Buckner’s best major league season came in 2009, when he finished 4-6, 6.40 in 13 starts for the D-Backs. He could get a look as a reliever since he has made 15 relief appearances among his 36 major league outings.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.